Debated in Parliament on 5 Jan 2021.
Ms Carrie Tan asked the Minister for Transport (a) what public education efforts has the Ministry undertaken to educate pedestrians and other users of public paths on the pedestrian code of conduct which enforcement has started in August 2020; (b) whether footpath ambassadors will be deployed to increase public knowledge of the code of conduct in order to prevent rider-pedestrian accidents; and (c) whether there is a team that specialises in commuter behavioural change research and education to enhance plans towards the active mobility vision.
Mr Speaker, the Active Mobility Code of Conduct, which was expanded in August 2020, is a set of guidelines for cyclists and riders. It also set out some safety tips and reminders for pedestrians. To be clear, it serves an educational purpose. "Enforcement" really entails officers going on the ground to exhort good behaviour and correct bad ones; non-compliance with code of conduct guidelines will not incur penalties.
LTA will be rolling out a new public education campaign this year on these good commuting habits, such as keeping left on paths to allow others to pass safely. This complements other existing efforts, such as awareness campaigns, community and school engagements. Since 2016, volunteers have carried out community patrols under the Active Mobility Patrol scheme to educate pedestrians and device users on safe and gracious path behaviour. As of December 2020, more than 1,000 volunteers from 72 teams have joined the scheme to serve as path ambassadors. They will continue their efforts and we certainly welcome more volunteers to create a stronger presence on the ground.
LTA has in-house transport researchers who conduct research and study ways to design infrastructure and programmes to encourage positive commuter behavioural changes, including those related to active mobility. LTA also collects feedback from perception surveys and trials, which are used to inform LTA's outreach plans and public education messages.
PAPERCUTS